Wisconsin judge blocks law under dispute

WISCONSIN

Scott Bauer and Todd Richmond, Associated Press

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, March 31, 2011

Photo: Jay LaPrete, AP

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Ohio Gov. John Kasich signs Senate Bill 5 into law Thursday, March 31, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio's governor on Thursday signed into law a limit on the collective bargaining rights of 350,000 public workers, defying Democrats and other opponents of themeasure who have promised to push for repeal. less

Ohio Gov. John Kasich signs Senate Bill 5 into law Thursday, March 31, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio's governor on Thursday signed into law a limit on the collective bargaining rights of 350,000 public workers, ... more

Photo: Jay LaPrete, AP

Wisconsin judge blocks law under dispute

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A Wisconsin judge Thursday did what thousands of pro-union protesters and boycotting Democratic lawmakers couldn't, forcing Republican Gov. Scott Walker to halt plans to implement a law that would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights and cut their pay.

At the same time, Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed into law a limit on the collective bargaining rights of 350,000 public workers, defying Democrats and other opponents of the measure who have promised to push for repeal.

The Ohio bill prevents unions from negotiating wages but not health care, sick time or pension benefits. It also eliminates automatic pay increases and bans strikes. It applies to teachers, nurses and many other government workers, including police and firefighters, who were exempt in the Wisconsin measure.

In Wisconsin, Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi, who had issued an order intended to block implementation of the law while she considered a challenge to its legitimacy and warned of sanctions for noncompliance, amended her order Thursday to clarify that the law had not taken effect, as Republican leaders argued it had.

The governor's top aide, Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch, later issued a statement saying Walker would comply with Sumi's order and halt preparations that were under way to begin deducting money from most public workers' paychecks, but that the governor's administration still believes the law took effect after a state office unexpectedly published it online.

"While I believe the budget repair bill was legally published and is indeed law, given the most recent court action we will suspend the implementation of it at this time," Huebsch said.

The law would require most public sector workers to contribute more to their health care and pensions, changes that amount to an average 8 percent pay cut. The measure also strips them of their right to collectively bargain any work conditions except wages.

Walker signed the proposal into law earlier this month after weeks of large pro-union protests in and around the state Capitol and after the Senate's Democrats fled Wisconsin in an attempt to deny Republicans the quorum needed to vote on the measure.